CURRENT ISSUE
Contests
Feature Article
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Issue #206 September
2007
Smart Power
An Intelligent Power Supply for Embedded Systems
by Alexander Popov & Jordan Popov
Start | Hardware | Software | Calibration | Voltage Presets | Slowly Rising Voltage | Slowly Falling Voltage | Short Time Test | Periodcal Linear Voltage | Periodical Voltage Drops | Future Development | Sources & PDF
SHORT TIME TEST
The preset can be used for testing a circuit for overrated current consumption (see Photo 5). The power is supplied to the device for only a short time. If there is a problem due to a short circuit or miswiring, the current protection will trigger. The preset is also useful for discovering problems leading to high current consumption but are not short circuits. One common problem is connecting the electrolytic capacitor in a wrong polarity. This does not always trigger the current protection, and after some seconds, the capacitor explodes! That is why the circuit should be powered for a short time and the current consumed should be observed.
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| Photo 5—This is a test for smell and smoke from the circuit. With this power supply, it should not go that badly due to the short time and the current protection, but some components can get warm. |
There is just one parameter for this preset: the time the power is turned on.
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